FORMATIONS (TO&E), PART 3
World War II, Infantry
This page contains information about Finnish World War 2 era (infantry) divisions, infantry regiments and their sub-units. During World War 2 infantry division was the most typical large formation type for practically all countries - Finland included. The grand majority of Finnish infantry served in infantry regiments, which belonged to some certain division. Finnish Winter War era division and infantry regiment were much lighter and more weakly equipped armament-wise than their Soviet equivalents, hence the major improvement made by starting of Continuation War was giving them additional units, which gave them reasonable antitank- and antiaircraft-capacity, that they had been earlier lacking. Since the Soviets at the same time downsized their own divisions, in 1941 Finnish division actually ended up being larger than their Soviet equivalent. Around 1942 - 1943 Finnish Army downsized its divisions, but this was to release more manpower to home front, which was struggling to keep the military provided with weapons, food, ammunition and other equipment. While necessary, from purely military point of view this downsizing proved very poor idea, since it basically ruined the system in which way infantry regiments of division were used. After this downsizing divisions had only two infantry regiments, which made impossible the previous system of division typically using two of its regiments in frontline while keeping the third regiment as reserve. For all practical purposes this meant leaving divisions without their own reserves of useful size. At the same time Soviet infantry divisions developed to what could be described being close to brigade concept and relied more to firepower than manpower. During World War 2 Finnish Army also noted, that division was so large, that it was often difficult to command effectively. One solution for this problem was creating new (infantry) brigades around 1943 - 1944. These were units about size of infantry regiment, but with support units usually provided to Division. But the transition was not completed to many to of the designed brigades and this new formation type didn't replace divisions in Finnish Army until after World War 2. Compared to their Soviet equivalents Finnish divisions and infantry regiments were motorised in much lesser extent, even if the number of trucks in their use was considerably increased after Winter War (1939 - 1940).
During World War 2 notable changes were also in squad and platoon level to increase infantry firepower. The most important of these grass-root level improvement was replacing Winter War (1939 - 1940) era rifle squads and light machinegun squads for Continuation War (1941 - 1944) with rifle squad, which had both light machinegun and submachinegun. The reason for this was that during Winter War Finnish infantry platoons had typically found themselves with less firepower than their Soviet equivalent. Later during Continuation War the number of submachineguns in each rifle squad was also increased two and by this war ended orders for increasing their number to three per rifle squad had already been issued. According official organisation charts starting year 1941 each rifle squad was also officially to have one sniper, but since there was very small number of scoped sniper rifles available, they were not issued in this manner and this part of the official organisation was purely theoretical. As a compensation these "dedicated marksmen" (they did not usually have any real sniper training either) were issued a normal M/39 military rifle and served as normal infantry soldiers.
Finnish system for distributing fire support units to infantry was relatively flexible, but the fire support assets were rather light when compared to Soviet ones. While the Soviets had 76-mm regimental guns (infantry guns) and commonly used their antitank-guns as direct-fire support in the frontline, Finnish infantry did not usually have constant access to fire-support assets of this sort. Captured regimental guns were issued to field artillery and fortification artillery units and were therefore not part of "own" fire-support assets of infantry regiments or divisions. Antitank-guns were also concentrated for antitank-use and commonly using them also as direct-fire support became usual only during trench war period (1/1942 - 5/1944) of Continuation War. However when needed antitank-guns, anti-aircraft guns or field guns/howitzers could be used as fire-support in the frontline as operational basis. Most typical fire support assets to Finnish infantry included medium machineguns (mostly water-cooled 7.62-mm Maxim) and mortars. Battalion-level had machinegun company usually equipped with 12 medium machineguns, this company was almost never used in battle as a whole unit. The usual way of using Machinegun Company was temporarily subordinating its platoons and/or half-platoons to some specific rifle company or rifle platoon. In the similar manner FO (forward observation) team of mortar company or mortar platoon could be temporarily subordinated to some specific battalion or rifle company. Forward observation teams of field artillery units were temporarily subordinated to infantry units in similar manner and were usually the ones to call in artillery support. Since Finnish infantry had radios usually available only for Battalion HQ and higher, Finnish infantry units were poorly equipped to call in mortar or artillery support on their own while on the move. Only when field telephone lines had been set up (and they were working, since they were vulnerable to artillery fire and aerial bombardment) could even rifle platoons call in mortar and artillery support - and usually to only pre-plotted targets. If there was no field artillery forward observation team nearby and field telephone connection did not exist or was not in working condition for gaining artillery support the usual alternative was sending a messenger (runner) to reach either Battalion HQ or closest artillery FO-team. Another method often used in such situation was using pre-agreed combination of flares to call in artillery fire to certain pre-plotted targets. One could note that this lack radios in infantry platoons and companies also shows as messenger teams, which were very common in these levels.
PICTURE: Finnish infantry wearing snow camo taking a break. Badge with crossed rifles was a uniform marking for Finnish infantry. (SA-kuva photo archive, photo number 75727).
Division, 1939 - 1940:
Division Commander
Division HQ
Supplies Company
3 Infantry Regiments
Light Detachment
Jaeger Company
Cavalry Company
Machinegun Platoon
Field artillery Regiment
3 Artillery Battalions (usually 2 with light field guns and 1 with light howitzers)
3 Artillery Batteries (in each Arty Battalion)
(Mortar Company) (*)
2 Engineer Companies
2 Signal Companies
(Detached Antitank-gun Company - 4 or 6 antitank-guns) (**)
(*) Notice: Included to some but not all organisation charts, so it is unclear how many divisions actually had a mortar company of this type. At least in theory this unit was supposed to have two mortar platoons each equipped with two long-range (long barrel) 81-mm mortars.
(**) Notice: Each division received one of these Detached Antitank-gun Companies by February of 1940, so many divisions didn't have this company before that.
Infantry Regiment, 1939 - 1940:
Regimental Commander
Regimental HQ (12 men)
Command Office
Supplies Office
Supplies Company (169 men)
Supplies Platoon (41 men)
Signal Platoon (55 men)
Engineer Platoon (45 men)
Field kitchen unit (27 men)
3 Infantry Battalions
In each Infantry Battalion:
Battalion Commander
Battalion HQ (6 men)
Jaeger Platoon
Supplies Company (118 men)
3 Rifle Companies (191 men in each)
Machinegun Company (154 men, 12 x heavy machinegun)
Mortar Company (83 men, 4 x 81 mm or 82 mm mortars)
HQ Platoon
2 Mortar Platoons (2 x 81mm/82 mm mortar in each platoon)
Supplies Platoon
Regimental Column
Rifle Company, 1939 - 1940:
Company Commander (pistol)
Command Squad
Battle Messengers
Corporal (rifle)
4 men (rifles)
Observer/spotter Section (Scouts)
Corporal (rifle)
3 men (rifles)
Gas Protection Section (Anti Chemical Weapons Sqd)
Corporal (rifle)
3 men (rifles)
Messenger Officer (rifle)
4 Rifle Platoons, in each platoon:
Command Squad
Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant (pistol or/and submachinegun)
Platoon Sergeant (rifle)
2 men (messengers) (rifles)
2 Rifle Squads, 10 men in each squad:
Corporal (rifle)
9 men (submachinegun + 8 rifles)
2 Light Machinegun Squads, 7 men in each squad:
Corporal (rifle)
6 men (light machinegun + 5 rifles)
PICTURE: Finnish Army infantry platoon. Photo is probably from year 1941. (SA-kuva photo archive, photo number 39027).
Division, 1941:
Division Commander
Division HQ
Supplies Company
3 Infantry Regiments
All Infantry Regiments 3 Battalion strong
Light Detachment
Field artillery Regiment (= 3 artillery battalions = 36 field guns/howitzers)
Heavy Artillery Battalion (= 12 field guns or howitzers)
Engineer Battalion
Signal Battalion
Antitank-gun Company (6 x antitank-gun)
Military Police Platoon
Anti-aircraft Machinegun Company (typically: 6 x 20-mm anti-aircraft gun + 6 x 7.62-mm anti-aircraft machinegun)
Field Kitchen Company
Ambulance Platoon
Field post office
Clothing depot
Field hospital
Ammunition supply Company
Vehicle repair shop for horse vehicles
Field hospital for horses
Truck Company
Motor vehicle repair shop
Fuel supply unit
Infantry Regiment, 1941:
Regimental Commander
Regimental HQ
Supplies Platoon
Jaeger Platoon
Engineer Platoon
Signal Platoon
HQ Platoon
Mortar Company
Heavy Mortar Platoon (typically 3 x 120-mm mortar)
Light Mortar Platoon (typically 3 x 81-mm or 82-mm mortar)
Antitank-gun Company (6 x antitank-gun)
3 Antitank-gun Platoons (2 antitank-guns in in each platoon)
Regimental (horse) vehicle column
3 Infantry Battalions
In each Infantry Battalion:
Battalion Commander
Battalion HQ
Jaeger Platoon
3 Rifle Companies
Mortar Platoon (3 x 81 mm or 82 mm mortars)
Machinegun Company (12 x heavy machinegun)
Regimental strength:
Total: 3,616 men
Regimental weaponry:
Notice: Weaponry changed a lot from 1941 to 1944, the largest change happened in amount of submachineguns, in which the average number climbed to over 500 in summer of 1944. At the same time amount of rifles decreased as submachineguns replaced them.
Rifle Company, 1941 - 1942:
Company Commander (pistol)
Command Squad
Battle Messengers
Corporal (rifle)
4 men (rifles)
Gas Protection Section
Corporal (rifle)
3 men (rifles)
Antitank Squad
Sergeant (submachinegun)
8 men (4 anti-tank rifles, 8 rifles)
horse man (horse + cart) (rifle)
3 Rifle Platoons (4th Platoon usually only on paper), in each rifle platoon:
Command Squad
Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant (pistol and/or submachinegun)
Platoon Sergeant (rifle)
2 men (messengers) (rifles)
4 Rifle Squads, 9 men in each squad:
Corporal (rifle)
8 men (light machinegun + submachinegun + 6 rifles)
Division, 1942 - 1943:
Division Commander
Division HQ
Supplies Company
3 Infantry Regiments
1 of Infantry Regiments 3 Battalions strong
2 of Infantry Regiments 2 Battalions strong
Field artillery Regiment (=3 artillery battalions = 36 guns)
Heavy Artillery Battalion (= 12 guns)
Engineer Battalion
Signal Battalion
Antitank-gun Company (6 x antitank-gun)
Military Police Platoon
Anti-aircraft Machinegun Company
Field Kitchen Company
Ambulance Platoon
Field post office
Clothing depot
Field hospital
Ammunition supply Company
Vehicle repair shop for horse vehicles
Field hospital for horses
Truck Company
Motor vehicle repair shop
Fuel supply unit
Infantry Regiment, 1942 - 1943:
Regimental Commander
Regimental HQ
Supplies Platoon
Jaeger Platoon
Engineer Platoon
Signal Platoon
HQ Platoon
Mortar Company (6 - 9 x 120mm mortars)
Antitank-gun Company (6 x antitank-gun)
Regimental (horse) vehicle column
2 or 3 Infantry Battalions
In each Infantry Battalion:
Battalion Commander
Battalion HQ
Jaeger Platoon
3 Rifle Companies
Mortar Platoon (3 x 81 mm or 82 mm mortars)
Machinegun Company (12 x heavy machinegun)
Infantry Company, 1943 - 1944:
Company Commander (pistol)
Command Squad
Battle Messengers
Corporal (rifle)
4 men (rifles)
Gas Protection Section
Corporal (rifle)
3 men (rifles)
Antitank Squad
Sergeant (submachinegun)
8 men (4 AT-rifles/satchel charges/panzerfausts, rifles)
horse man (horse + cart/sledge) (rifle)
3 Rifle Platoons (4th Platoon usually only on paper), in each rifle platoon
Command Squad
Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant (pistol and/or submachinegun)
Platoon Sergeant (submachinegun)
2 men (messengers) (rifles)
4 Rifle Squads, 9 men in each squad
Corporal (submachinegun)
8 men (light machinegun + submachinegun + 6 rifles)
Division, 1944:
Division Commander
Division HQ
Supplies Company
2 Infantry Regiments
Both Infantry Regiments 3 Battalions strong
Detached (infantry) Battalion
Field artillery Regiment (= 3 artillery battalions = 36 guns/howitzers)
Heavy Artillery Battalion (= 12 guns/howitzers)
Heavy Mortar Company (120 mm mortars)
Engineer Battalion
Signal Battalion
2 AT-Gun Companies (6 x antitank-gun in each company)
Military Police Platoon
AAMG Company
Field Kitchen Company
Ambulance Platoon
Field post office
Clothing depot
Field hospital
Ammunition supply Company
Vehicle repair shop for horse vehicles
Field hospital for horses
Truck Company
Motor vehicle repair shop
Fuel supply unit
Infantry Regiment, 1944:
Regimental Commander
Regimental HQ
Supplies Platoon
Jaeger Platoon
Engineer Platoon
Signal Platoon
HQ Platoon
Mortar Company (6 - 9 x 120mm mortars)
AT-Gun Company (6 x antitank-gun)
Regimental (horse) vehicle column
3 Infantry Battalions
In each Infantry Battalion:
Battalion Commander
Battalion HQ
Jaeger Platoon
3 Infantry Companies
Mortar Platoon (3 x 81mm or 82mm mortars)
Machinegun Company (12 x heavy machinegun)
Mortar Company of Infantry Regiment, 1939 - 1940:
Company Commander (pistol)
Command Squad
2 men (messengers) (rifles)
Anti-chemical weapons NCO (rifle)
2 men (anti-chemical weapons men) (rifle)
2 Mortar Platoons, in each Mortar Platoon:
Platoon leader (pistol)
Messenger (runner) (rifle)
2 FO (Fire Orders) Squads, in each FO Squad:
FO NCO (pistol/rifle)
Aiming circle NCO (rifle)
3 signal men (rifles)
2 Mortar Squads (one 81 mm or captured 82mm mortar per Squad), in each Mortar Squad:
Squad leader (rifle)
Traverse setting soldier (rifle)
Elevation setting soldier (rifle)
Assistant aiming soldier (rifle)
Soldier loading the mortar (rifle)
3 Soldiers taking care of ammunition (rifles)
Mortar vehicle (horse towed cart/sledge)
Ammmunition vehicle (horse towed cart/sledge)
Supplies Platoon
Company Sergeant (pistol)
Company Clerk (rifle)
Supplies NCO (rifle)
Medical NCO (rifle)
Provisions man (rifle)
2 Cooks (rifles + field kitchen)
Shoemaker
Field kitchen vehicle (horse towed cart/sledge)
Provisions and animal feed vehicle (horse towed cart/sledge)
Supplies vehicle (horse towed cart/sledge)
Mortar Platoon of Infantry Battalion belonging to Infantry Regiment, 1941:
Command Squad
Lieutenant (pistol)
2 men (messengers) (2 rifles)
3 Mortar Squads (One 81mm mortar / Squad)
Sergeant (rifle)
FO Squad
Lance Sergeant (rifle)
3 men (3 rifles)
Telephone men
Corporal (rifle)
4 men (4 rifles)
Mortar crew
Corporal (rifle)
7 men (7 rifles)
Vehicle crew
Horseman (horse + cart) (rifle)
PICTURE: Infantry also has its heavy weapons, which were crew served. Maxim machinegun was the most common heavy machinegun of Finnish Army during World War 2. (SA-kuva photo archive, photo number 27892).
Machinegun Company, 1939 - 1940:
Company commander (pistol)
HQ Squad
FO NCO (rifle)
Measuring Team
Measuring NCO (rifle)
4 measuring men (rifles)
2 rangefinder men (rifles)
3 messengers (runners) (rifles)
Signal Team
NCO + 3 men (rifle)
Anti-chemical weapons team
3 men (rifles)
3 Machinegun Platoons, in each MG-platoon:
Platoon leader (pistol)
2 messengers (runners) (rifles)
1st Machinegun Half-Platoon
Half-Platoon leader (rifle)
2 Machinegun Squads, in each MG-squad:
Corporal (rifle)
4 men (3 rifles + pistol + 1 heavy machinegun)
Driver of MG-vehicle (horse with carts/sledge + rifle)
2nd Machinegun Half-Platoon
Half-Platoon leader (rifle)
2 Machinegun Squads, in each MG-squad:
Corporal (rifle)
4 men (3 rifles + pistol + 1 heavy machinegun)
Driver of MG-vehicle (horse with carts/sledge + rifle)
Supplies Platoon
Company Sergeant (pistol)
Clerk (rifle)
Medics
Medical NCO (pistol)
2 medics (pistols)
Ammunition Supply Team
Weapons NCO (rifle)
Gunsmith (rifle)
24 ammunition bearers (rifles)
3 Drivers for ammunition vehicles (3 horses with carts/sledges + rifles)
Supplies Squad
Supplies NCO (rifle)
Supply column and veterinarian NCO (rifle)
Provisions man (food supplies)(rifle)
2 cooks (rifles, field kitchen, towing horse)
Shoemaker (rifle)
Tailor (rifle)
2 drivers of food supplies vehicles (2 horses with carts/sledges + rifles)
Driver of supplies vehicle (horse with carts/sledge + rifle)
Machinegun Company, August 1942:
Command Squad
Captain (pistol)
Company Sergeant (rifle)
Corporal (rifle)
6 men (6 rifles)
Signal Team
Lance Sergeant (rifle)
4 men (4 rifles)
3 Machinegun Platoons, in each MG-platoon:
Lieutenant (pistol and rifle or submachinegun)
2 men (messengers) (2 rifles)
1st Machinegun Half-Platoon
Sergeant (rifle)
2 Machinegun Squads, in each MG-squad:
Corporal (rifle)
5 men (4 rifles + pistol + 1 heavy machinegun)
2nd Machinegun Half-Platoon
Sergeant (rifle)
2 Machinegun Squads, in each MG-squad:
Corporal (rifle)
5 men (4 rifles + pistol + 1 heavy machinegun)
Antitank Platoon
Lieutenant (submachinegun)
2 men (messengers) (submachinegun + rifle)
4 Antitank Squads, in each Squad:
Lance Sergeant (submachinegun)
9 men (AT-rifle, 9 rifles)
(Notice: Non-battle elements left off).
Machinegun Company, 1944:
Command Squad
Captain (pistol)
Company Sergeant (submachinegun)
Lance Sergeant (rifle)
6 men (6 rifles)
Signal Team
Lance Sergeant (rifle)
4 men (4 rifles)
3 Machinegun Platoons, in each MG-platoon:
Lieutenant (pistol and rifle or submachinegun)
2 men (messengers) (2 rifles)
1st Machinegun Half-Platoon
Sergeant (rifle)
2 Machinegun Squads, in each squad
Lance Sergeant (rifle)
5 men (4 rifles + pistol + 1 heavy machinegun)
2nd Machinegun Half-Platoon
Corporal (submachinegun)
2 Machinegun Squads, in each squad:
Corporal (rifle)
5 men (4 rifles + pistol + 1 heavy machinegun)
Antitank Platoon
Lieutenant (submachinegun)
2 men (messengers) (submachinegun + rifle)
4 Antitank Squads, in each Squad:
Corporal (submachinegun)
9 men (AT-rifle/satchel charges/panzerfausts/panzerschrecks and 9 rifles)
(Notice: Non-battle elements left off).
Brigade, 1943 - 1944:
(TO&E of 15th, 19th, 20th and 21st Brigade)
Brigade HQ
4 Infantry Battalions
AT-Gun Company (6 x at-gun)
Mortar Company (4 - 9 x 120 mm mortars)
Light Artillery Battalion (typically: 12 light field guns or light howitzers)
Heavy Artillery Battalion (typically: 12 heavy howitzers)
Signal Company
Engineer Company
Supply Column
2 Field Hospital Units